My Git Cheat Sheet

Dec 2, 2015

Git is god. Not really but it is a powerful Version Control System (VCS). VCS’s can be hard to manage and understand but Git makes this relatively easy. On web projects, Git can be both a handy tool and a lifesaver in a developers arsenal . It is also a must have for any project with multiple collaborators. Git can be used right in the Command Line Interface. Here is my cheat sheet to start using git today.

Git Terminology

Repository

A Repository, often called a repo, is basically the folder containing all of the projects files.

Staging Area

The Staging Area is a file in git that contains the information that will be added to your next commit.

Commit

A commit is a save to your project that takes a snapshot of all your projects files and records it with a unique ID. This makes it possible to go back in time if you need to make changes or revert to older version of your project.

Branch

A branch is a replicated repository. Branches make it possible to alter files without effecting the master branch or primary branch, creating something like an alternate reality of that repo. Branches come in handy when you want to experiment on a project or when adding a new feature to a product.

Merge

Merging grabs the changes from one branch and applies them to another. Once your branch is ready to make it to the big time, merging will add all your changes to your project to the primary branch.

Pull refers to pulling down any changes from a remote repository and merging them in to your local repository. Pulling is common when you have changes being pushed to the remote repository and you need to add those changes to your local repository.

Fetch

Fetch pulls the latest changes in a remote repository but does not merge them into your local repository. Instead of merging you can compare the changes made on the remote and integrate them when ready.

Git Commands

Initializes git in project folder

git init

Returns files that are in/out of staging area

git status

Returns list of commits

git log

The way to add files to the staging area. Add file by typing file name at the end of the command git add text.html

git add

The way to remove files from the project. Remove file by typing file name at the end of the command git rm text.html

git rm

Takes a snapshot of current staging area and saves it with a unique ID.

git commit

Performs git add on all changed files while making a commit.

git commit -a

Adding -m with text in parenthesis leaves a message that describes why this commit is being made.

git commit -m "Message goes here"

Display history of commits

git log

Lists branches

git branch

Creates a branch with the name passed at the end of the command

git branch <name>

Switches to branch with the name passed at the end of the command. Can also be used to revert to older commits git checkout </i>

git checkout <name>

Create and switch to branch with the name passed at the end of the command

git checkout -b <name>

Deletes the branch that is passed at the end of the command

git branch -D <name>

Undoes a commit. It undoes the changes that are associated with that commit while creating a new commit acknowledging the revert

git revert

Undoes changes and resets project to the last commit. It is similar to git revert but it does not create a commit which makes it impossible to keep track of this reset or go bring back a file to a previous state if need be.

git reset

Removes untracked files from directory.

git clean

Merges the branch that is passed at the end of the command to the branch you are currently in.

git merge <name>

Duplicates an existing repository. The repository is located by the url passed at the end of the command

git clone <url>

List all remote repo associated with the current repo, can also add, git remote add </i>, and remove, git remote rm </i>, remote repos from project.

git remote

Pulls the latest changes in a remote repository but does not merge them into your local repository

git fetch

Pulls the latest changes in a remote repository and merges them into your local repository

git pull

Uploading your local repository to your remote repository

git push

Conclusion

Git has many more commands that can be used in your project but these should be enough to get you started. I will be posting an article soon on proper git workflow with multiple collaborators.